LAKE ELSINORE 
When the head referee pointed to the spot in the first overtime Tuesday, Temescal Canyon High girls soccer coach David Cox told his players that they could choose who would take the penalty kick.

Without hesitation, a sophomore confidently volunteered.

Eager to erase the nagging memory of an important blocked penalty kick earlier in the season against league rival Elsinore, Marissa Everett blasted the ball into the back of the net to give Temescal Canyon a 1-0 victory over South Pasadena in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs.

“It was like déjà vu,” Everett said. “All this week, I have been practicing PKs, so I knew I could do it. But when I stepped up there, the situation became real; I could feel all that pressure.

“I just tucked my head and put it away.”

Cox said he noticed Everett spending the extra time on penalty kicks.

“I think this is something that she really wanted,” Cox said. “Maybe she saw this as a time to get some redemption.

“Every time we would take any sort of break during practice, I would see her going over to the spot to take shots.”

In a game marked by defensive play, both teams failed to score in 80 minutes of regulation, which sent the match to overtime.

Goalkeeper Maegan Ariaz anchored the Titans’ defense by recording 11 saves. Two of those stops came late in the first half to stymie excellent scoring opportunities.

“(Ariaz) hands down won this game for us,” Cox said. “She stepped up and made some huge saves.”

Temescal Canyon (14-5-7) advanced to play at top-seeded Whittier La Serna in the quarterfinals today.

The style of play Tuesday was much different than Temescal Canyon’s first-round win last week, when it showed offensive explosion in a 4-0 win over Santa Ynez.

For the Titans to advance beyond the next round, Cox said, they will need to perform more as they did in the opening round.

“We are going to need to focus on possession,” Cox said. “We couldn’t manage to put two passes together today.”

Everett said she believes the win gives the team much-needed momentum heading into today.

“Our head is in it,” Everett said. “We know what we have to do, and this experience in a close game is going to help.”